New Inverts from the Auction

[starsplitter7]

Last night my fish club had its monthly fish auction during the meeting.

I got a beautiful blue Crawdad for $3. I felt bad for the person auctioning it, because it should have gone for a lot more (in our stores these crawdads go for $20-35). I think most people don't have tanks available for them. Either they have fish who eat the crawdad or the crawdad eats the fish. And I spent a little while plugging all the bolt holes to make sure my crawdad stays in its tank.

Here's my gorgeous new addition:


A member of our club also breeds assassin snails (not on purpose -- the assassins take care of this on their own), and I got three of them. They are beautiful snails. So what does someone like me who loves snails do with Assassins? I have heard you can feed them chopped shrimp. I will do some research. In any case, I have a few hundred snails, so my assassins will not go hungry. I know assassins breed one "pup" at a time, so they breed very slowly, I didn't think to ask. Are they safe with each other? Anyone know?


Look carefully at this picture. There's the assassins (they are out today with their siphons extended), a "peacock" loach, a darter, blue finned killie, and bunches of albino Bristlenoses and one 3 month old regular BN fry.


Does anyone know why my pictures are cutting off on the right side? I am losing about 1/3rd of the pictures. For example the picture of the crawdad shows his tail. When I posted it on loaches, I lost the back half of the picture. Thanks.

[Jim Powers]

I have a few assassin snails together and there is no problem. In fact, they can't seem to get enough of each other if you know what I mean.
Haven't seen any young yet, though.

[starsplitter7]

That's good to hear, Jim. I would imagine that it would make no sense for them to be cannibals, but after it took me so long to get these, I didn't want to do anything stupid. I got mine from Hank, and he said that it took a while for them to start breeding, and then they leave one jellied egg under the surface of the gravel. It develops into one young that looks like a tiny adult.

I think these guys are great. I hope to get some more cool snails. I want to have a snail tank with hard water. Got to figure out how to do it.

[starsplitter7]

How many snails do you have? Do you have males and females (do they need males and females)? I need to do my research.

[Martin Thoene]

Great steal on the crawdad. Auctions are awesome when there's nobody who has the hots for what you want

Martin.

[starsplitter7]

I agree. The Blue Crawdad is absolutely stunning.

At the big auction I got the Garra flaratra. No one knew what they were. They are adorable and fiesty and growing well.

[Crissyloach]

That is pretty lucky!

[starsplitter7]

The auctions have made it possible for me to get some amazing stuff. I also appreciate it so I can distribute my extra fish and shrimp, and I know they will go to a good home.

My albino BNs have a new litter. I bought another male to give my poor guy a break. He is exhausted from months of fanning eggs.